Swimming apparatus



Aug. 4; 1925. P 1,548,540

- R. M. MATTHEWS SWIMMING APPARATUS Filed May 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,540 I R. M. MATTHEWS SWIMMING APPARATUS Filed May 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

r a Pic i RICHARD llI. MATTHEWS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SWIMMING APPARATUS.

Application filed. May 21, 1925.

To all whom it may 0012mm:

Be it known that I, RICHARD M. MAT- 'rnuws, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Swimming Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for use to sustain a person on the surface of a body of water and at the same time provide a means whereby the user can propel himself in any direction I An object is to provide apparatus of this character which, in addition to a simple and efhcient propelling mechanism, utilizes means to be operated by the feet of the user, whereby the apparatus can be easily steered.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus which, when not in use, can be folded into a compact bundle and readily carried from place to place.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes'in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spiritof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figurel is a side elevation of the apparatus, parts being broken and the same being shown extended for use.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the frame of the structure folded for convenience in transportation and storage.

Figure 1 is a section through one of the joints of the frame taken on the line 4l Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in section showing the connection between therudder shaft and the cross bar.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the tail member of the apparatus provided, at one end, with a reinforcing sleeve 2. Extending trans versely through this sleeve and the member 1 is a pin 3 the ends of which project short distances beyond the sides of the sleeve for Serial. No. 31,875.

the purpose hereinafter explained. Secured to and depending from member 1 are spaced bearings 1 and 5 respectively inwhich is journaled a shaft 6 the rear end of which projects beyond the rear end of the member 1 and is provided with a propeller 7. The front end of the shaft 6 is connected by a coupling 8 to a flexible shaft 9 which can be in the form of a chain or of any other suitable construction. An aperture 10 is extended downwardly through the tail member 1 and mounted for rotation therein is a shaft 11 to the lower end of which is secured a rudder 12. The upper end of this shaft 11 is detachably secured within a cross bar 13 which extends laterally beyond the member 1 and is located where it can be engaged easily by the feet of the user who, by pressing on one end of the other of the cross bar can turn the rudder in the desired direction. Any suitable means may be employed for detachably fastening this cross bar to the shaft 11.

Straddling the forward end of the tail member 1 are the side strips 14 of an intermediate member 15. These side strips are provided at their rear ends with sleeves 16 for movably engaging the sides of the sleeve 2. The forward ends of the side members are connected by any suitable means, such as a sleeve 17' extending there around, it be ing understood that the side members 1 1 are held properly spaced apart by any desired spacing element such as a block 18 interposed between the forward ends thereof. The sleeves 16 and the members l-i are pivotally connected to the tail member 1 by a pivot bolt 19 provided, preferably, with a wing nut 20 which, when tightened, will serve to bind the sleevev 16 against the sleeve 2. RecessesQl are formed in the inner sides of the sleeves 16 and are designed when. the intermediate member 15 is extended in the same plane with the tail member as in Figure 1, to receive the ends of the pin 3. Thus by subsequently tightening the nut 20. so as to cause the parts to bind together the one bolt 19-, cooperating with the pin 3-, will serve to hold the members 1 and 15 against relative movement. By loosening the nut 20, however, the side portions 1 1 of the member 15 can be sprung apart out of engagement with pin 3 and the members folded relative to each other as shown in Figure 3.

The forward end of the member 15 which is reinforced by sleeve 17 is straddled by the rear end portion of the front member 22 of the apparatus. 1 This front member includes side strips or portions 23 the rear ends of which are reinforced by sleeves 24L adapted to engage the sides of the sleeve 17. A spacing block 25 is interposed between and secured to the front portions of the side strips 23. A pivot bolt 26 serves to connect the front portion of the member to the rear portions of the side strips 23, this bolt being provided preferably with a wing nut 27 which, when tightened, will clamp the sleeves 17 and 24 tightly against each other. A pin corresponding with the pin 3 and recesses corresponding with the recesses 21 can be located in the sleeve 17 and the sleeves 2% respectively so that when the nut 27 is tightened and the pin seated in the sleeves 24, the front member 22 will be held in line with the members 15 and 1. This pin has been indicated at 28 in Figure 3 and the recesses into which the ends of the pin are adapted to project have been indicated by a broken line at 29. It will be understood, of course, by loosening the nut 27, the side strips 23 can be sprung apart so as to become disengaged with the ends of the pin 28 whereupon'the front member 22 can be folded relative to the other members as shown in Figure 3. se cured to and depending from the block are bearings 30 in which is journaled .a shaft 31. One end of this shaft is connected by a coupling 32 to one end of the flexible shaft 9. The forward end of shaft 31 has a small pinion 32 which constantly meshes with a larger or drive pinion 33 secured to a shaft 34 which extends transversely of the front end portion of member 22 and is mounted in bearings 35. Crank arms 36 are provided at the ends of the shaft 3% and are adapted to be grasped and actuated by the user of the apparatus.

Extended longitudinally along the top of the apparatus is a float 37 which can be formed of a rubber tube closed at its ends. Snap fasteners 38 are the like can be provided at the ends of the tube for engaging eyes 39 carried by the members 1 and 22 respectively. At one or more intermediate points the tube can be surrounded by a band 40 carrying a snap fastener 41 for engaging an eye 42. The. tube is provided with a valve indicated generally at 43 such as commonly employed in connection with vehicle tires and whereby by the use of a pump or the like the tube can be inflated quickly.

When the apparatus is extended and fastened as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the inflated tube is in position thereon. the user, after placing the apparatus in the Water, where it will float, lies prone upon the tube 37 which acts not only as a float but also as a cushion. While in this position the user places the feet against the end portions of the cross bar 13 and grasps the crank arms 36 in the hands. The gears are then actuated by rotating shaft 34: and motion is transmitted through the shafts 31, 9 and 6 to the propeller 7 Thus the apparatus will be forced forwardly and during such movement can be guided by shifting the rudder. Attention is called to the fact that the flexi ble shaft 9 is held to the intermediate portions of the structure by suitably disposed guide loops or eyes 44. When the apparatus is not in use the nuts 20 and 27 can be loosened, and the front, intermediate and tail members of the structure can be folded upon each other as shown in Figure 3. thus forming a compact bundle. Before this is done, however, the cross bar 13 is detached from the shaft 11, this being easily done if a fastening means such as shown for example in Figure 5 is utilized. This fastening means includes a pin 45 which is extended transversely through the bar 13 and the upper end of the shaft 11 and is held in place by a cotter pin 46 or other suitable means. The float 37 is also detached from the structure before it is folded.

It will be seen that apparatus such as described will furnish considerable sport for the users and can also be employed advantageously in emergencies.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus of the class described including a foldable structure. means for holding the structure extended, a propeller 3. Apparatus of the class describedmade 7 up of pivotally connected sections foldable relative to each other. means engaging the sections for holding them extended in substantially the same plane, a shaft extending longitudinally of the sections and including a flexible portion, said shaft being foldable with the sections, a propeller at one end of the shaft. and hand operated means at the other end of the shaft for actuating the shaft and propeller.

4. Apparatus of the class described including a foldable structure, means for holding the structure extended, a propeller at one end of the structure, hand operated driving means at the other end of the structure, means including a flexible shaft for transmitting motion to the propeller from the hand operated means, and a combined float and cushion extending longitudinally of the structure.

5. Apparatusof the class described in eludingv a foldable structure, a shaft extended longitudinally thereof and including a flexible portion, a propeller at one end of the shaft, hand operated driving mechanism at the other end of the shaft, a rudder, foot operated means for actuating the rudder, and a combined float and cushion extending longitudinally of the structure.

6. Apparatus of the class described made up of pivotally connected sections foldable relative to each other, means engaging the sections for holding them extended in sub- 

